The Disruptor isn’t about disruption for its own sake. It’s about recognising when the rules no longer reflect reality and having the confidence to question them.

This role challenges assumptions that once worked but now quietly limit progress. Not recklessly, but deliberately. Because momentum rarely comes from playing yesterday’s game better.

The Challenge: How to stop following the market and start shaping it

There’s a pattern I see in a lot of businesses right now.

They know something needs to change. They have data, they have ideas and they also have plans. And yet… momentum still feels harder than it should.

Not because they’re doing nothing, but because they’re doing the next logical thing, rather than the right next thing.  In other words, they’re being busy but not moving forward.

What’s really going on

When markets feel uncertain, most organisations do the same thing: They look at what worked last year… and step forward from there, they default to tried and tested solutions.

It feels safe, sensible and responsible, but safe steps rarely create meaningful growth.

They keep you on the same path, you just start walking faster.

What I see again and again

No matter which industry I have worked in be it healthcare, MedTech, FMCG or founder-led SMEs, the same tension appears:

“We need to do something different to accelerate growth… but everything feels incremental.”

That’s because decisions are being made from hindsight, not foresight.

People optimise what already exists instead of opening up what could exist.

A better way to think about growth

There’s a big difference between taking the next step and making the next step.

Taking the next step means: Tweaking pricing, adding another product or running another campaign.

Making the next step means:

• Finding new spaces and choosing where to play, placing your bets confidently rather than just doing more.

• Shaping what comes next, rather than relying on tried and tested ‘we’ve always done it this way’.

  
  

That’s how you move from insight to action, and from action to growth.

Small shifts that create momentum

1. Stop reacting. Start choosing. Where could you shape the market instead of chasing it?

2. Look for spaces, not just share. Where are there unmet needs, overlooked customers or new channels?

3. Identify Lead Measures. Everyday actions that everyone is accountable for and make a difference, rather than just relying on KPI’s.

   
   

You don’t have to ‘eat the elephant’ in one go. You just have to trust in the process, focus on the right next step, and then the next.

I use my 4 Steps to Rapid Results framework - it helps cut through, add clarity and is simple, practical and repeatable.

4 Steps to Rapid Results Framework

A final thought

Most businesses don’t lack ideas…

…They just need space to think differently.

So here’s my question for you:

Are you taking the next step, or are you ready to make it?

I hope this newsletter has given you some thoughts and ideas to accelerate or build your momentum.

I’d genuinely like to hear your perspective, please feel free to share your thoughts, challenge my thinking, or add your own experiences, I’d love to build the momentum with you.

Next time - The Disruptor 2: Defining your Competitive Advantage